Veil Cosmetics Illuminating Complexion Fix- reviewed and recommended

Several weeks ago, I attended a product launch from a new cosmetics company called Veil Light Infused Cosmetics, co-founded by professional makeup artist Sebastien Tardif, who has made up the faces of celebrities such as Naomi Campbell, Jane Fonda and Glenn Close. Veil’s signature (and, for now, only) product is the Illuminating Complexion Fix ($36), a multi-purpose concealer that, with its golden pen casing and brush-tip applicator, bears a striking resemblance to Yves Saint Laurent’s famous Touche Éclat.

The difference, I was told, is that Touche Éclat is a one-hit wonder: its only job is to brighten the under-eye area. Meanwhile, the Illuminating Complexion Fix was described as providing layerable coverage that not only targets dark circles, but also uneven pigmentation and blemishes on the face. Furthermore, the Veil product claims to treat dark spots and hydrate the skin.

The “treatment” role of the Veil concealer is achieved via a proprietary – and rather galactic-sounding – blend of ingredients called Lightfast Technology. It is comprised of skin lighteners Sepiwhite MSH and Sepicalm VG WP as well as Revidrate, an ingredient that plumps the skin by mimicking the lipids that form the epidermis’ natural moisture barrier. It also has anti-aging Matrixyl 3000 thrown in the mix. Quite the multitasker, indeed. At least on paper.

I was eager to give the Illuminating Complexion Fix a try (after all, concealer would probably be my desert-island beauty product; well, maybe next to lip balm). Like Touche Éclat, the Veil concealer has 12 shades – I tested the Light Neutral, which happened to work very well on my medium-toned skin with yellow undertones. Unlike with Touche, which has a click applicator, you dispense the Veil product by twisting the end of the barrel. The texture of the concealer was silky smooth (thanks to its abundance of silicones, to which I have no personal aversion). I did find that the product was sufficiently moisturizing, but was especially impressed by its ability to camouflage any blemishes and perk up my shadowed under-eye area. Because I don’t have hyperpigmentation, I could not attest to its dark spot treatment benefits.

When I took a closer look at the ingredients in the Illuminating Complexion Fix, I noticed the only red flag seemed to be the controversial preservative sodium benzoate. Otherwise, the product is free of parabens, petroleum-derived mineral oil, and phthalates. (Touche Eclat, it should be noted, contains two of the above offenders as well as talc, with its possible link to cancer.)

I just finished using up the last bit of my sample of the Veil concealer/illuminator. So would I consider adding this product to my makeup arsenal? Absolutely! In 2013, Veil plans to introduce more products (serum and collection of eye shadows), so I will certainly be keeping this new beauty line on my radar.